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Tuesday, August 31, 2010

(Reuters) - A French fast food chain announced on Tuesday it would almost triple its line of halal hamburger restaurants because sales had doubled in a trial that sparked a heated debate about the integration of Muslims.

The Quick chain of 358 restaurants around France said it would boost its halal-only outlets to 22 on Wednesday after the trial in eight areas with a strong Muslim population also saw a doubling of customers and a rise in the amounts they spent.

Quick, which is a challenger to the U.S. hamburger chain McDonald's and runs franchises in seven other countries including Belgium, Russia and Algeria, said the move was purely commercial.

"We're in a very competitive market and we're the challenger," said General Manager Jacques-Edouard Charret, whose company competes against about 1,150 outlets for the U.S.-based McDonald's.

"We are not a philanthropy or a charity," he told a news conference. "Our ambition is to develop Quick's turnover and create jobs. And it's going well."

Friday, August 27, 2010

Various problems and issues related to the understanding of the rules of Shari'ah occur as a
result of the unawareness of the many Quranic ayahs and Ahadith by some people. These
individuals misguide themselves and others by misinterpreting the Holy Quran and Hadith.
The rules of slaughtering animals are one such area in which people have concocted their own
rules, completely ignoring the rules of the Holy Quran and Hadith. Because of the problems
associated with this topic, many people have suggested that I write an essay about it in light of
the Holy Quran and Hadith. Upon their repeated requests and persistence, I took on the
responsibility to write this booklet on halal and haram meat. May Allah guide me in this
earnest attempt.

I have refrained from expressing my personal opinions on the subject; rather the issue is
addressed completely through the Holy Quran and Hadith. May Allah I guide us towards
making the right choices for ourselves in this regard, and may He protect us all from haram.
Mohammad Ibrahim Memon Madani

Monday, August 23, 2010

According to an e-mail from Smithkline Consumer Healthcare Ltd with Reference No.: 54021853208 sent to a Muslim consumer that there is no animal derived ingredients except milk solids and no alcohol used as a solvent in flavor in Horlicks made in India.

Horlicks also has a vegetarian green dot symbol on the bottle. Horlicks is sold in Indian Pakistani stores throughout USA and Canada.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Many are outraged as the EU is preparing to allow the remains of pig carcasses to be used in poultry feed, which would save UK farmers millions of pounds as cereal prices soar.
The practice of using pig remains in chicken feed was banned in Europe after the BSE crisis 10 years ago. This proposal, according to the Observer, has outraged animal rights campaigners, and Muslim organisations among other groups, who claim the move would put families at risk, offend religious sensibilities and lead to a major consumer backlash.

"There are two million Muslims in Britain and 25 million in Europe and this move would be a disaster for every one of them," said Dr Abdel Majid-Katme of the Islamic Medical Association, adding that this is a sinful idea.

Offended consumersThe RSPCA voiced its concerns about the health risks involved. Additionally, agriculture experts believe many consumers would be offended by the idea of a return to the use of animal remains in farm feeds. "I think there will be such a backlash from consumers that the idea would have to be

We will take up one of the points which HFA consider to be permissible:

Mechanical slaughter -

The point of debate among scholars with regards to mechanical slaughtering is whether it fulfils the important requisite of the Tasmiyah (reciting Bismillah at the time of slaughter) being rendered by the person actually slaughtering the animal.

The books of Fiqh state categorically that the Tasmiyah must be uttered by the person actually slaughtering the animal. If someone else utters the Tasmiyah while the person slaughtering remains quiet (i.e. intentionally omits reciting the Tasmiyah) the animal will not be Halal.

(Fatawaa Alamghiriyyah P. 286. Vol. 5)

During mechanical slaughter, when the power is turned on, and the poultry starts to move along the conveyor belt towards the fixed blades, a Muslim may be standing and reciting the Tasmiyah on each individual chicken, the question here is whether this is considered to be his own act of slaughter or not?